Folding step for vehicles



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM A. MILLER, OF SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS.

FOLDING STEP FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,424, dated July 15, 1890.

Application iled May 22, 1890.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. MILLER, a citizen ot' the United States of America, residing at Springdale, in thecounty of Washington and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Steps for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the fol.- lewin gto be a full, clear, and exact description of t-he invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in steps for vehicles; and it has for its object to provide a step ot simple construction which when not desired for use may be folded up out of the way adjacent to the wagon-body, and will be held either in a raised or lowered position by a spring; and it consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafterfully set forth,and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Inthe accompanying drawings, Fig. l is an end view of the body of a vehicle, partly in section, showing the step lowered in full lines and raised in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side view.

A refers to the frame-work or body of a vehicle of ordinary construction, and to one of the cross-bars B thereof is rigidly secured a plate C, the ends of which are bifurcated and formed into eyes to retain a pintle whichV passes through an eye or opening formed in the upper end of the standard which carries the step. This standard rear of the eyeV formed therein has a lug or shoulder d, which when the step is lowered abuts against the plate secured to the cross-bar B, and upon the lower end of the standard the step is formed or attached. The standard is provided at a suitable point between its eye and the step with a perforation, which serves as Serial No. 352,746. (No model.)

a means for connecting one end of a spiral spring thereto, while the opposite end of said spring is attached to the body of the vehicle beyond and to one side of the pintle. By this construction the spring, when the-step is lowered to the position shown in full lines, will exert a pressure to hold the step lowered and the'shoulder on the upper part ofthe standard in contact with the plate. Then the step is turned upward on its pivot, the end of the spring being thrown above the pintle will hold the standard raised.

The construction herein shown and described is extremely cheap and is effective in operation, and when the standard is thrown up it is not liable to come in contact with narrow gateways; also, the standard may be made much longer than those lused with ordinary steps, as it need only be lowered when desired for use.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claiml. In a vehicle-step, the combination of a bifurcated and shouldered step carrying standard pivotallyattached to the wagonbody, and a spring attached to the standard and vehicle, so that one end of the spring will be located either below or above the pivot as the step is lowered or raised, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a step for vehicles, the combination Vof a bit'urcated plate, a standard having an eye and shoulder formed on the end opposite the step, and a spiral spring connected to the standard to one side of its pivot at one end and to the vehicle-body at the other, so as to exert a drawing pressure upon said standard', Whether raised or lowered, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. A

VILLIAM A. MILLER. Witnesses:

A. M. KENNAN, A. J. HALE. 

